Hanging out with chefs in their kitchens is a favorite pastime. It’s a pleasure to watch them at work and you always pick up the coolest ideas. How does Andre Macias at Tonali get that luscious melting flavor into his pork carnitas? Spoonfuls of fresh lard, my dear. He has a wonderful way of flipping the pork in a sauté pan over a high flame to brown it. When he plates the carnitas, he tops them with pickled red onion—a great contrast with the rich meat.

The directions read: Turn right at the Red Mailbox. But it was so tiny that B and I almost missed it. We were looking for a giant red mailbox, or maybe a roadside gas station by that name. It was a balmy early February day in South Carolina and we were on our way to […]

If you hunger for fresh corn, summer is your moment. Around here, the first field grown corn appears at the farmer’s market in late June. We love it every which way, but the simpler the better. B has been known to eat four or five ears, lightly boiled, for instance, and served without embellishment. Butter would […]

Years ago, my mother gave me a tattered copy of a “mid-century” Iranian cookbook that had long gathered dust on a kitchen shelf. In a Texas household where roasts and enchiladas were the dishes du jour, I can’t ever remember eating anything that was remotely Middle Eastern. I was more than a little curious. […]

Isn’t it amazing? No sooner did I start writing about Sicily than the clouds disappeared. Now it’s 70 degrees outside, the sky is a piercing blue and the daffodils are turning their faces to the sun. Such is the power of lemons. I want to tell you all about the extraordinary salad made from the […]

Eleven years ago we threw a post-Katrina party to celebrate New Orleans and its survival from horrific floods that nearly washed away the city we knew and loved. It was right before Christmas and everyone was in the mood for high jinks. Zydeco blared from the speakers, plates were laden with shrimp etouffee and jambalaya—and […]

9 September 2007

Drinks from the Garden: A “Spellbinding” Mojito

The classic mojito is made with a dozen mint leaves, rum, and lime juice. It can besweetened with simple syrup or, more authentically, with sugar cane juice.

Tropical storm Gabrielle is skirting the Outer Banks today, sending us cooling breezes but not a drop of rain.

That makes this evening perfect for drinks in the garden. Also perfect for drinks from the garden. Right now, I’m sipping a classic mojito, packed with just-plucked mint leaves and splashed with the juice of a lime.

According to an article in the Miami Herald, the name of the drink comes from the African “mojo,” which means “to place a spell”—no surprise to the legions who have fallen under the enchantment of this potent drink. Rumor has it that the mojito was “invented” in 1589 when the English navigator and sometime pirate Sir Francis Drake tried but failed to plunder Havana for its gold. To soothe his ire, perhaps, another pirate, Richard Drake, concocted a drink made of aguardiente (“firewater,” probably made from fermented sugar cane juice) mixed with sugar, lime and mint. He named it “El Draque” (“The Dragon”), after Sir Francis Drake’s nom de guerre.

Can this be true? Others claim that the mojito was really invented by African slaves working in the Cuban sugar cane fields during the 19th century. It’s said that slaves drank both aguardiente, and guarapo, fresh sugar cane juice, and the stories may have become muddled—in theory, if not in fact. However it evolved, recipes for the mojito were found in bartending manuals by the 1930s. In Cuba, and again Key West, it was a favorite of Ernest Hemingway who first sampled it at La Bodeguita del Medio, a popular bar and restaurant in Havana.

There are a thousand spins on the mojito, but Bacardi’s classic recipe is a good starting point. I use fresh peppermint leaves from the garden instead of the recommended spearmint, though the latter would also be delicious. The key thing is to “muddle” or crush a dozen leaves gently in the bottom of the glass to release their flavor, before adding the other ingredients. You can buy all sorts of muddlers, including elegant ones made of Honduran rosewood, but I find that the non-business end of a pestle works very well. (That way you avoid any other flavors that may linger on the pestle.) You could also use the plunger from a juicer, a small wooden mallet, or just about any long-handled implement with a flat end that can be inserted in a glass.

Because I love lime, I use the juice of a whole fruit–or two Key limes, if I can find them–instead of the half that Barcardi suggests. And to balance out the flavors, another tablespoon or two of simple syrup. (To be truly authentic, you should use sugar cane juice.) Oh yes, and I substitute Pellegrino for club soda and use a lot less of it.

But in the end, this really is a classic mojito, one that even El Draque would enjoy.Spellbinding Mojito with Mint and Lime

1. Put the mint leaves in the bottom of a tall glass. Gently smash or “muddle” the leaves with a muddler, pestle or other instrument to release their flavor.
2. Fill the glass with ice. Add the rum, simple syrup and lime juice. Stir to mix well.
3. Top off the glass with Pellegrino or club soda. Stir again. Taste and adjust the flavorings, if desired. Serve with a sprig of mint.

Note: To make simple syrup, combine one cup sugar and one cup water in a small saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. When the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Refrigerate before adding to a cold drink.